There are many important variables taken into consideration in selecting a home to purchase – price, location, layout, distance to place of employment or retail amenities – and that’s just to name a few. My clients sometimes ask me this question: “Marco, besides these usual factors, what do buyers really want in a home?” My experience has shown me that the majority of families place the education of their children at the top of their list. It probably goes without saying that good public schools typically produce good students who are well-equipped for higher education.
This is the great “school or pool” dilemma in residential real estate. Do I buy a home close to my office with a sparkling pool, or do I buy a home a bit further down the road with no pool, so that my kids can get a quality education?
With such a demand for higher education, buyers will sometimes stretch their budget, accept a less than ideal layout and longer commute times, and make other sacrifices in order to live in the right school district. In a survey conducted by California’s Association of Realtors, 55.35% of Californians willing to pay anywhere from 1 to 20 percent above their budget to live in a neighborhood with better public education. This means that more than half of California residents will tighten their belt, sacrifice the pool and accept a longer drive to shopping amenities, to advance their kids’ education. On 
several occasions, I’ve worked with buyers who’ve bought a townhouse over a larger detached home, just so their children could attend certain schools.
In this area, we are fortunate to have an excellent public school system. I’ve seen the benefit of these schools on a personal level. My eldest daughter, a graduate of a local public high school, just received her degree from a University of California, Merced, where she obtained many academic scholarships. She received a strong academic foundation from our public schools and was therefore able to maintain high academic achievement throughout college. My younger daughter, also a graduate of a local public high school, is now thriving in her second year of college. I have no doubt that our schools fuel the success of our children.
If you are interested in learning more about our local public education, you can check out your local community info here, just enter the desired zip code. Also feel free to give me a call at 925-570-4841 or send an email to marco@marcogetsresults.com.
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